I have both mango and PA Golden varieties that I've planted in cloth pots. They are about a year old now. First year they didn't do much, and over the winter I thought maybe they were lost. But this spring they both leafed out nicely. In full Texas sun, and not watered very often, I'm thinking they must be pretty tough trees.

I'm planning to move, but once that's complete I'll be planting both of these, as well as getting 1-2 of each Peterson variety.

I believe I've read on Peterson's site, that grafts eventually die off in the long-run (~20-40 years?). Is that true of just pawpaw? Or most fruit trees? I suppose constant cultivation and grafting onto new root stock is what keeps them going. But if that's the case I may end up planting a small experimental orchard from seed as well.

"In retrospect, it is clear that none of the fruit at Zimmerman's was of special quality (unlike the fruit later discovered at Blandy). That is not difficult to understand. The named cultivars in Zimmerman's collection would naturally have been grafted by Zimmerman from scion wood that cooperators mailed him. Forty years since Zimmerman's death is a long time in the life of a pawpaw tree. Doubtless the tops, the grafts, had died."

Like I say, not sure exactly the full meaning, but I guess I must have remembered that grafts eventually die off. Maybe it's unique to pawpaw, or maybe he meant in reference to something else.

Yes, topworked trees of any kind need to be watched with hawk eyes, and need to be pruned, usually more than once a year, to make sure that the original tree doesn't produce water suckers and other vigorous growth--- otherwise, topwork grafts will be shaded over and starved out in rather short order.

Even normal low grafts can be subjected to similar circumstances--- when storms lean the tree sideways, or when pests or diseases or cold stress the top of the tree, suckers appear under the graft union, and usually grow vigorously. If no one who knows what to do is looking, the grafts' tops cease to exist or at least become of little use.

I often find Citrus trees in such conditons in my new customers' yards.

Kentucky State advocates chip budding for pawpaw...I have never grafted anything in my life so not sure how much that's worth.

Ed - question for you....what kind of conditions do you keep your < 2 year-old seedlings in? I am particularly interested in how to shade them properly.Last summer I kept my new seedlings under just some black cotton fabric and in a location that only received 1-2 hours direct sun on top of that. They seemed happy I guess.I overwintered them in the house and they have of course leafed-out now, but they don't seem to be super-duper happy. They are in a bedroom that receives a decent amount of filtered afternoon sunlight, but these seedlings are only exposed to whats reflecting off the walls.

Yes pawpaws are very easy to chip bud. I just prefer using the whip or cleft graft.

I recommend you plant them in their permanent location and put wire cages around them wrapped in shade cloth. About 2 to 3 feet tall cages and let them grow out of the shaded environment on their own . Also with the cage you can temporarily place a piece of fabric over the top till they adjust to their new environment.

Yes pawpaws are very easy to chip bud. I just prefer using the whip or cleft graft.

I recommend you plant them in their permanent location and put wire cages around them wrapped in shade cloth. About 2 to 3 feet tall cages and let them grow out of the shaded environment on their own . Also with the cage you can temporarily place a piece of fabric over the top till they adjust to their new environment.

Thanks! Stupid question, but is all shade cloth created equal? I'm not exactly sure what I'm looking for.

Also not sure if I want to hold off and attempt to graft some of them. They are only maybe 4 mm thick at the thickest point of the base and maybe 10 inches tall max. Doesn't seem like they're ready to graft yet.

These grafts really grow fast. I grafted mine a few months ago and when I went to unwrap the tape they were already almost girdled. Now all of my grafts look like mushrooms from the tape constricting the growth.